Download Linux Mint 20.2 today and tell Microsoft you don't want Windows 11

With Windows 11 on the horizon, many consumers will find themselves unable to upgrade due to the crazy system requirements the operating system has. And so, some of those people will look for alternatives, such as Linux distributions. While Ubuntu is a wise choice for those interested in switching to Linux, it isn't the best choice. Actually, Windows-switchers should instead give Linux Mint (which is based on Ubuntu) a try.

Wouldn't you know it, today, the all-new Linux Mint 20.2 becomes available for download. Named "Uma," it can be had with your choice of three great desktop environments -- Cinnamon 5.0, MATE 1.24, and Xfce 4.16. Mint 20.2 is based on Ubuntu 20.04 and uses Linux kernel 5.4.

New in the Cinnamon and MATE versions of Linux Mint 20.2 Beta is a bulk-renaming app called "Bulky." This new tool is not included in the Xfce variant, as the functionality is already integrated into the Thunar file manager. All variants of Linux Mint 20.2 are based on Ubuntu 20.04 and use Linux kernel 5.4. Uma will even be supported until 2025. Best of all, the already-great Update Manager receives significant improvements.

"In the past, available updates were simply indicated by a little orange dot on the Update Manager's icon in the system tray and could go unnoticed for long periods of time. In Linux Mint 20.2 the Update Manager is now able to remember how long each update has been available for, how many days the computer was ON during that time and assess whether or not a notification would be welcome to remind you of available updates," says Clement Lefebvre, Lead Developer.

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Lefebvre further explains, "This new notification feature was designed to add comfort to the user experience, not remove any, so making sure it was a nice addition and not an annoying distraction was key. The way this is handled in other operating systems such as Windows or Mac for instance was an example Linux Mint did not want to follow."

If you want to give Linux Mint 20.2 "Uma" a try, you can download an ISO here now. Just keep in mind, while Linux Mint is great for Windows converts, you should not blindly switch without testing it first. Some of the Windows software you depend on many not be available on Linux, so you will need to make sure you can get by with alternatives.

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